Janice Turner, the mother of singer Sean Kingston, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison following her conviction on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, stemming from a scheme involving over $1 million in luxury goods.
Turner, 63, was sentenced on Wednesday, July 23, in a Miami federal courtroom by Judge David S. Leibowitz, who also imposed an additional three months of probation. Her son, Sean Kingston, was convicted on related charges in April, and is expected to be sentenced next month.
“I’m sorry. My intention was to keep my son afloat in this difficult industry,” Turner said tearfully in court. “They used him and abused him. I am begging for mercy for me and my son.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Turner and Kingston orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to deceive vendors into providing luxury cars, jewelry, electronics, and even custom furniture without payment.
The case gained national attention after federal agents raided a Southwest Ranches mansion rented by Kingston in May. Turner was taken into custody during the operation. Authorities say the property contained several high-end items allegedly obtained through the scheme, including:
- A 232-inch television
- A $150,000 custom sound system
- Approximately $1 million worth of luxury watches
- An $80,000 custom-made bed
Attorney Dennis Card, representing a company suing Kingston, described the operation as “organized systematic fraud,” claiming that the artist exploited his celebrity status to avoid payment.
“He’s got a script,” Card told NBC 6. “He says he works with Justin Bieber, puts on a big show, uses rental homes to create an illusion of wealth, and convinces vendors to release goods without upfront payment—then simply never pays.”
Just hours after Turner’s arrest, Kingston was also detained by U.S. Marshals while performing on stage at Fort Irwin, a U.S. military base in California. His arrest was described as “without incident.”
Turner, who also runs a sauce business under the name “Mama Kingston Kitchen”, has frequently appeared on social media promoting her products alongside her son. The image of the tight-knit family unit now stands in stark contrast to the federal fraud conviction they share.
Sean Kingston, best known for early hits like "Beautiful Girls", faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence at his upcoming hearing.
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